Rove Targets McNerney

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

McNerney: You did it. Again!

McNerney email: "I am speechless.You did it. Again!

You voted. You e-mailed your close friends. You called your family. You text-messaged everyone in your cell phone. You contacted your online friends on MySpace and Facebook. You posted diaries and comments on Daily Kos, Calitics and other blogs.

Because of you, Senator John Kerry will be announcing that I am a winner in his “March Madness” online campaign competition! Because you decided to get out the online vote, Senator Kerry will now ask 3 million people to get out their checkbooks for our campaign.

I am truly humbled and honored by your people power -- the amazing strength of the grassroots and netroots. Thank you so much once again for your enthusiasm, activism and support.

Aghazarian Stays Out Of Ca-11

Tracy Press: "Assemblyman Greg Aghazarian, R-Stockton, will run for state Senate in 2008, when Sen. Mike Machado, D-Linden, is termed out of office." (source)

Cal Majority Report: "Assemblymember Guy Houston -- a Democratic opposition researcher's dream candidate -- now appears to be the frontrunner for the GOP Congressional nod in the sprawling Bay Area/Central Valley district represented by McNerney. Houston has won narrow victories in his Assembly district, which overlaps a chunk of the Congressional district. Houston was recently described in the Contra Costa Times as a legislative lightweight with a boatload of court problems after being sued for ripping off senior citizens in financial dealings." (source)

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Last Chance To Vote For Jerry In March Madness Contest

Sen. John Kerry: "In 2008, the Republicans will launch an all-out assault on our majority in Congress. Our Democratic majority must be sustained and a strong show of early fundraising is the best way to show that we stand by those who want to change the direction of our country. Below, we've got a great slate of candidates, and we need your help to choose who to support in this first round of fundraising. So choose two from among the strong Democrats in each column, two House members from the left and two Senators on the right. Deadline for voting is Sunday, March 25 at midnight ET, so vote now! Thank you!" (source)

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Vote For Jerry!

Jerry's Blog: "Senator John Kerry has just launched an online Congressional competition today called “March Madness”. Similar to the NCAA Final Four, eight candidates are competing and the stakes are huge. If we win this, Senator Kerry will ask his 3 million supporters to support my campaign financially before the crucial March 31st Federal Election Commission deadline.

MCNERNEY ANNOUNCES LISTENING TOUR EVENTS WITH VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES

MCNERNEY ANNOUNCES LISTENING TOUR EVENTS WITH VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES

March 20, 2007

"Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-11) announced two listening tour events he will hold with veterans and military families in Stockton and Pleasanton on Saturday, March 24.

“I want to hear directly from veterans and military families about the kinds of issues they face in getting the help, treatment and benefits they deserve,” Rep. McNerney said. “As we in Congress consider legislation affecting veterans and their loved ones, it’s important to me to actually talk to the people that would be affected.”

McNerney, House Pass Sunshine Bills

Representatives Mike Honda (D-Campbell) and Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton) voted in favor of all four bills, breathing new life into open-government legislation, marking Sunshine Week with votes to protect whistle-blowers, smooth freedom of information requests, and compel presidential libraries to disclose more about their donors.

"These measures are important because they'll help make sure the government is ethical, open and accountable to the American people," Congressman McNerney said in a written statement. "I promised during the campaign that I'd work to change the culture of corruption in Washington. With this week's action plus the ethics reform we passed in January, I'm happy to be making good on that pledge."

The House still has to vote on H.R. 1362, which addresses no-bid contracting. The five bills coincide with this week's annual campaign by open-government advocates to draw attention to a need for accessibility and accountability in the fight against abuse and waste." (source)

"Sunshine Week is a nationwide initiative to continue the discussion about the importance of transparency at all levels of government and freedom of information. It is about your right to know what your government is doing, and why.

It began seven years ago when journalists in Florida launched Sunshine Weekend, a coordinated editorial effort to enlighten and empower Floridians to play a more active role in their government. In 2005, the American Society of Newspaper Editors expanded the campaign to all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

During this week, media across our nation have admonished the secrecy in bad government and highlighted the examples where good government has let the “sunshine” in.

A success story happened this week when the House, with support of our congressmen, Democrats Jerry McNerney and Dennis Cardoza, overwhelmingly approved four open-government measures." (source)

"Today, Congress took an important step towards restoring openness and transparency in government," said Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and a co-sponsor of the bills.

"Over the past six years, the Bush administration has done everything it can to operate in secret, to avoid public scrutiny, and to limit congressional oversight. I am pleased that Congress is reversing this course by passing four critically important good government bills with strong bipartisan support," he added.

The bills passed and the votes were: H.R. 1309 (308-117) to strengthen FOIA and improve public access to government information; H.R. 1255 (333-93) to nullify an executive order limiting access to presidential records; H.R. 985 (331-94) granting improved protection to federal whistleblowers; and H.R. 1254 (390-34) to require the release of presidential library donor information.

McNerney Works To Bring Jobs To Ca-11

"This week's edition of The Independent, a weekly newspaper serving Pleasanton, Livermore and Sunol, highlights Congressman Jerry McNerney's support for the PROGRESS ("Program for Real Energy Security Success") Act -- a "bill that will help give the United States more energy independence in the coming years, and create as many as 800,000 jobs"" (source)

The plan being championed by Mayor Willie Weatherford would divert reclaimed wastewater from the municipal treatment plant to 200 acres designated as open space in southwest Manteca near the San Joaquin River.

...

The bill — McNerney’s first — passed the House last week on a 368 to 59 vote.

“My bill creates a grant program that allows cities and water agencies to apply for money to do innovative and creative water projects,” McNerney said. “Based on what Mayor Weatherford and other city officials told me when I met with them last month, Manteca’s proposal to use recycled water to create wetlands in the city sounds like it would qualify. I’d encourage the city to apply and would work with city officials during the application process and through the (Environmental Protection Agency’s) eventual decision. This is an example of one of the benefits of the Healthy Communities Water Supply Act. It lets local officials decide what works best for them.”" (source)

Guy Houston: Another Richard Pombo?

CCTimes: "Democrats ... point to Houston's unresolved legal troubles in a case involving seniors who say they were defrauded by Houston and his father as a sign of possible ethics problems, an issue that helped defeat Republicans nationwide in 2006.

...critics say he votes lockstep with conservative and business interests.

An analysis of his campaign contributions from the last election appears to support his critics' views. Nearly 60 percent of the $1.4 million he raised came from developers and related industries, and political organizations....Houston twice voted no on legislation to raise the minimum wage and opposed the state's 2006 global warming bill." (source)

Friday, March 09, 2007

McNerney Appointed to Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming

"Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced today the Democratic members of the newly created Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. Congressman Ed Markey of Massachusetts will chair the Select Committee.

“The members of the new Select Committee I am appointing today are outstanding for their creativity, diversity of experience, and knowledge of energy and global warming issues,” Speaker Pelosi said. “I have great faith in their ability to lead our efforts to confront these serious challenges. Global warming and energy independence are urgent issues that have profound implications for our nation’s economic competitiveness, national security, environmental quality and public health. The wide-ranging expertise of these members will be critical in finding viable solutions that stimulate our economy, promote jobs, and protect our environment.”

Chairman Markey said: “We are facing an issue that will test the capacity of democracy to respond in time to affect the fate of the planet. We have the technology, the ingenuity, and the experience to reverse the inexorable buildup of heat-trapping greenhouse gases. I look forward to working with my colleagues to find the consensus needed to move boldly and quickly. I am honored that the Speaker has asked me to help make the response of the 110th Congress proportionate to the threat.”

The House has a long history of creating Select Committees focused on crucial issues. The authority to legislate on energy and climate change will remain with the committees of jurisdiction, which have been asked by Speaker Pelosi to produce legislation on global warming and energy independence by June. With a large number of committees exercising jurisdiction over issues affecting energy and climate, the Select Committee will provide the coordination of information on these critical issues.

The Select Committee will hold hearings and investigations locally, nationally, and internationally to gather the information needed to protect our national security and the environment. It is charged with recommending to the Congress policies, strategies, technologies and other innovations to reduce the dependence of the United States on foreign sources of energy and prevent global warming.

The new Select Committee on Energy Independent and Global Warming will raise the profile of these crucial issues in the Congress, the media, and the public eye and will target the younger generation—who have the most at stake—using cutting-edge means of communications.

The House approved the creation of the Select Committee yesterday on a vote of 269 to 150, with 44 Republicans voting in favor. The Committee’s official duties will end when this two-year session of the House ends.

The Democratic members of the Select Committee are listed below (Brief bios below):

"Rep. Jerry McNerney: Prior to his election to the House from California’s 11th District, Congressman McNerney was a wind energy engineer and a renewable energy expert.· House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee: Water Resources and the Environment SubcommitteeHouse Science and Technology Committee: Energy and Environment Subcommittee" (source)

McNerney's First Bill Passes House

"Today, the Healthy Communities Water Supply Act of 2007, authored by Rep. Jerry McNerney (CA-11) and sponsored by Rep. Ellen Tauscher (CA-10), passed the House by a vote of 369 to 55.

The Healthy Communities Water Supply Act of 2007 will authorize $125 million in funding for projects that increase usable water supply by encouraging innovation in water reclamation, reuse, and conservation. The bill provides funding for a grant program that requires a fifty percent local funding match.

“This bill authorizes funds to develop alternative sources of clean drinking water, as well as water for agricultural and industrial purposes,” Rep. McNerney said. “That’s an important consideration this winter in California with lower than normal rainfall totals and a Sierra snowpack just 65 percent of its normal size – sources that are essential to the state’s water supply.”" (source)

"Score one for the San Joaquin Valley freshman. ..."Everyone recognizes the need for clean water," McNerney said. "It doesn't matter where you live or what your political persuasion is. We all need clean water."" (source)

"At a projected five-year cost of $86 million in grants, House Resolution 700 isn’t a biggie, but it is significant that McNerney, whose 11th District runs from the Delta to Santa Clara County, would co-author it with a neighbor, Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-San Ramon. Some of McNerney’s constituents are supplied with fresh Delta water through the Tracy pumping plant, while others depend on the tributaries that flow from the Sierra for their agricultural and recreational livelihoods. The quality of that water is endangered.

Declares McNerney: “Our communities’ need for a clean, reliable water supply has never been more evident. Despite recent rain, much of Northern California has experienced a record dry winter. Not only that, but increasing global temperatures will have an impact on the melting snowpack that provides water for much of California.”Hence, the need for alternative water sources through recycling and wastewater reuse that are gaining interest in California and across the nation. Offering a 50-50 money match of $125 million to municipalities, industries and agri-business to implement their projects is a sensible approach to water conservation if there are willing participants." (source)

Sunday, March 04, 2007

Tracy Press: McNerney pushes for Progress

"Congressman Jerry McNerney and a handful of other representatives will introduce a bill to the House of Representatives on Monday that would force the federal government to lead the charge against global warming.

The so-called Progress Act suggests the government double its commitment to use and research cleaner fuels for its fleet of 630,000 vehicles, with a focus on hydrogen and fuel cell work, plug-in electric hybrids and advanced diesel and variable compression engines.

Such massive federal investment would result in the “widespread availability of technologies that can double the current average vehicle efficiency,” according to McNerney’s office.

The bill would also establish the first commission to bring government, industry and academic leaders together to discuss energy alternatives. The commission would then pass its recommendations to Congress. The new law would create a grant program to encourage the private sector to invest in building bio-fuel pumps, tanks and plants around the country. And it would require the government to put more money into commuter, freight and transit trains." (source)

McNerney Continues To Be Accessible

"Jerry McNerney learned something he didn’t expect Saturday morning — at lest one constituent is fed up with roadside litter.“I’ve noticed that myself (crossing the Altamont),” the first-term congressman said.McNerney was in Manteca Saturday morning listening to constituents at the Main Street Cafe as part of his Congressman at Your Corner series of informal meetings.While roadside litter may not be a federal issue or rate up there in importance with the Iraq War or alternative fuels, McNerney said that is exactly what he wanted to hear.“I’m excited about having the chance for people to share their concerns,” McNerney said.Over two dozen people chatted with the congressman during the hour-long gathering. Issues they brought up ranged from worker’s compensation, health care, and veterans issues to immigration — all staples on a typical congressman’s plate." (source)

Thursday, March 01, 2007

Record: Look who's now a lobbyist

"Here's our advice to lobbyist Richard Pombo of Tracy: Don't run for political office again.

No sooner had the 109th Congress adjourned than Pombo was hired by Pac/West Communications, an Oregon-based lobbying and public relations firm that represents many of the same interests for which Pombo advocated so intensely as chairman of the House Resources Committee.

...Pac/West no doubt will compensate Pombo well. His interests mesh with much of what the lobbying group is promoting.

However, after being paid to advocate for these special interests, it's hard to imagine Pombo ever successfully lobbying voters on his own behalf in the future.